Terrible, dishonest, deceptive, rude, and unresponsive company. It has now been over 3 months since I made the major mistake of having Central Masonry and Chimney, Inc. in Dolgeville, NY (they also purport to have a location in Syracuse, which is questionable,) do a chimney inspection on a home that I was considering purchasing. Despite their repeated promises of giving me a written estimate for necessary work (I needed a fireplace insert and a woodburning stove, which they told me they could do,) which was a necessary element for me to negotiate the purchase price of the house, they have continuously failed to do so (and, obviously, 3 months out, they are never going to do it.) Because of their failure, the real estate negotiations fell apart and I have lost the house.
In addition, despite their website clearly promising that the inspection was free, they charged me a whopping $362.64. When I asked for a refund, this is when they started ghosting me. NOT what a professional, reputable company does!
I cannot speak to the quality of this company's work, as, because of them, I never got the chance to live in the house, but, based on everything else I've experienced with them, I would be very leery of hiring them to do actual work. However, I can most certainly speak to the complete lack of professionalism, integrity, decency, and honesty, all of which are greatly lacking. If, despite my warning, (and those of a number of others on multiple review sites where I am also posting,) you proceed to contact them, you can expect to have to make numerous (I stopped counted at 12,) unanswered phone calls, (they only have one office worker, who only answered the phone or returned my voicemails 4 times out of the 12,) have their office close down with no notice or explanation for several days in a row during the week, be told that they will perform agreed-upon work for you that will never be done, charge you an outrageous amount for what they have offered online as a "free inspection" and then, on top of it, lose the inspection information, text (not even call,) YOU for it, and then, when you point out that this is their responsibility, not the customer's, behave in a highly unprofessional manner toward you (I have retained the very rude texts from their employee who did the inspection and then texted me.) Unbelieveable.
They began ghosting me whe I contacted them the week after the inspection asking for the written bid, which, as they knew from the start, was essential for the real estate deal to proceed. I was told, repeatedly and effusively, that they "promised, absolutely," I would have it no later than the next day, "just as soon as the owner signs off on it." Still waiting, 3 months later.
I've had plenty of home inspection, maintenance, and restoration work done with multiple companies, all over the country, and Central Masonry and Chimney, Inc. is, by far, the least honest, honorable, reliable, or professional. Please profit from my very disapponting, frustrating, and regrettable experience and go elsewhere to an actually reputable company. And please check them out THOROUGHLY; my real estate agent gave me the referral to these guys (she has since had it removed from their company's recommendation list...she was there with me during this inspection and was also very unimpressed with my experience,) and make sure you aren't going to be ripped off and abused like I was. read more
